Of course, some consumers are skeptical to usefulness of frying. In the recent past, this apprehension was based on the opinion of nutritionists about the risk of increasing the content of cholesterol in the blood. Indeed, animal fats contain saturated fatty acids. Therefore, cooking with the help of animal fat at high temperature is accompanied by saturation fatty acids and adversely affects the blood cholesterol. But, modern cooking uses only vegetable oil that, conversely, reduces cholesterol levels due to E vitamin. This vitamin protects cell membranes from the damaging oxidation process and reduces the risk of cancer.
Moreover, cooking in vegetable oil effectively retain useful vitamins and minerals. Additionally,
sSuch dishes are relatively low-calorie.
Culinary benefits are well known. For example, dishes acquire a crunchy crust at a contact with hot vegetable oil. Therefore, the hot oil immediately forms a crust on the surface without penetrating into foods. Therefore, the dishes have especial taste that gives them a high popularity among many fans.
As a consequence, deep fryers have been in high demand for many decades. Of course, the market responds adequately to demand, offering a large number of different models. Of course, high competition stimulates the companies to constantly improve their products, expanding the functionality of fryers.
Unfortunately, the abundance of sentences sometimes makes it difficult to choose the optimal deep fryer that depends on its price, functionality and technical characteristics of the deep fryer. Equipping the model is one of the main factors that affect its capabilities.
Oil tank
Typically, oil tank is made of stainless steel.
Its width varies widely. But the bowl length usually does not exceed of 25 inches. Filling level is controlled with the help of marks on its back wall.
Its shape and dimensions depends primarily on the destination of model by foods type. For example, frying the donuts in one layer require broad, but shallow tank.
They usually have a shelf for drying the finished donuts. Fish is fried optimally in rectangular bath. Bath form is not important for French fries.
Cube shape is most common. Y shape is popular in large commercial models. In this case, the oil heating is carried out in a wide upper part.
Tank design is important in terms for easy cleaning. Many modern models are equipped with a tank with rounded edges. They are easier cleared from the burnt pieces of food and fat residues. But, cleaning is very inconvenient due to sizes and weight of entire deep fryer. Therefore, many models of the middle and upper price segment have removable tank. It’s easily removed, cleared in a dishwasher or in the sink manually and is set in the deep fryer.
Steel tank is placed into housing with good heat insulation properties to avoid the risk of burns.
Basket
Foods are placed into oil tank in the special basket. Companies produce them from steel, copper or brass wire with stainless steel coating. Grid skips the oil into basket with food.
It has a long handle with a thermal insulating coating on the one side and a metal hook for hanging above tank – on the other hand. The fryer may have several baskets for simultaneous placement in oil tank. The basket depth is usually from 25 to 40 inches.
The heating element and temperature mode
The heating element has a bend that corresponds to the oil tank shape.
It’s located a distance of about 10-15 inches from the bottom and divides the tank volume on zone of thermal treatment and on cold zone. Heat treatment of foods is carried above the heating element. Accordingly, the oil in this zone has a maximum temperature.
Cold zone is located between the bottom of the bath and the heating element. Crumbs from food fall into this zone. They not burn due to relatively low oil temperature.
The optimum oil temperature is from 160 to 200 degrees. Higher temperature quickly impairs the oil quality.
The presence of salt or of any foods with high moisture content also adversely affects the oil quality.
Control
Typically, deep fryers have two oil temperature regulators. One regulator provides a certain level of temperature in the range from 160 to 205 degrees. Regulator of upper limit is designed for protection the device from overheating. It automatically turns off the device at an oil temperature of 225 degrees.
In addition, many models have electronic sensors to control oil consumption and temperature, and degree of readiness.
As a rule, inexpensive models have a dial for adjusting the temperature manually. But most modern devices are equipped with preset modes for different types of foods.
Some deep fryers of top price segment are equipped with touch display.
Of course, such models provide maximum possibilities for programming the cooking process.
The recovery time of the high oil temperature
This vakue characterizes the recovery time of optimal oil temperature for frying after placing the cooled or frozen foods into basket.
Usually, it varies from two to twelve minutes and depends from fryer power, temperature and weight of foods. Powerful deep fryer quickly restores the operating temperature. This parameter directly affects the taste of the finished dish. Foods begin to absorb oil at a temperature of 165 degrees. Accordingly, the food becomes fatty, loses its natural smell, and the crispy crust is poorly formed on the food surface. Rapid recovery of the optimum high temperature eliminates this problem.
This video shows the cooking of delicious deep-fried chicken.
